Steadily Approaching Local Elections in Missouri with a Budget of Nearly $100 Million
Missouri Legalizes Sports Betting: A Historic Vote and the Road to Launch
Missouri voters have made history by passing Amendment 2, legalizing sports betting in the state, making it the 26th state to do so. The amendment, which passed with approximately 50.1% voter approval, sets a 10% tax rate on sports betting revenue, with funds earmarked for education.
The campaign for Amendment 2 attracted significant attention and funding, surpassing the previous record of $31 million raised for a 2006 stem cell research proposal in Missouri. Major sportsbooks like DraftKings, FanDuel, and Circa Sports invested millions of dollars into the campaign, supporting the “Winning for Missouri Education” committee with over $40 million.
Amendment 2 allows for two types of mobile sports betting licenses: untethered licenses, which allow operators to offer statewide online betting without partnering with a Missouri casino or professional team, and partnership licenses, which require operators to team up with one of Missouri's 13 casinos or six professional sports teams.
DraftKings, FanDuel, and Circa Sports are vying for the untethered licenses, while PENN Entertainment plans to open sportsbooks at its Missouri casinos and roll out its ESPN BET platform statewide through partnerships.
The Missouri Gaming Commission oversees licensing and consumer protection. License applications opened on May 15, 2025, with five companies applying so far: DraftKings, Underdog Sports, FanDuel, Circa Sports, and Fanatics. Sports betting is set to officially launch in Missouri on December 1, 2025.
Several major Missouri professional sports teams, including the Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Blues, and St. Louis City Soccer Club, strongly backed the Amendment 2 campaign. The final successful Amendment 2 reflected the initial aims of restricting wagering to professional sports and tax proceeds for education and road projects.
The total collective spending by campaigns supporting and opposing ballot measures in Missouri has reached nearly $100 million. The primary committee backing Amendment 2, Winning for Missouri Education, has raised an unprecedented $40.25 million since January. The campaign against Amendment 2 has raised $14 million, with $5 million on hand as of October 24.
Meanwhile, plans for a Lake Ozark casino were officially revealed in October 2021, with a $60 million hotel complex featuring a casino, restaurants, and an entertainment center on a 28-acre site near Lake Ozark in Miller County. The state's total election spending in 2024 has reached $130 million, primarily driven by Republicans in primary elections and the US Senate race among incumbent Josh Hawley, Democrat Lucas Kunce, and Better Party candidate Jared Young.
As the Missouri elections approach, it's clear that the state's voters have shown a strong interest in sports betting. Jack Cardetti, spokesperson for the Amendment 2 campaign, called the figures "really staggering" and underscored the widespread existing interest among Missouri residents. On the opening day of the NFL season, nearly 21,000 geolocation checks were recorded in and around Arrowhead Stadium.
The support for Amendment 2 comes largely from DraftKings via DK Crown Holdings and FanDuel via BetFair Interactive. However, not everyone is in favour of the amendment. Caesars Entertainment-funded group Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment opposes Amendment 2. Florida's current sports betting market leader, Hard Rock International, has suggested a potential partnership with the DraftKings-FanDuel duo.
Campaigns must file daily contribution reports up until the election, with additional spending reports submitted for any significant expenditures. Across Missouri's ballot measure campaigns, including gambling and abortion rights issues, $95 million has been spent, with almost $59 million allocated to the two gambling proposals alone.
As the countdown to the Missouri elections begins, it's clear that sports betting has become a significant issue in the state. With the launch of sports betting scheduled for December 1, 2025, Missouri residents are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to place their bets.
[1] Missouri Secretary of State - Ballot Measure Information [2] Kansas City Star - Missouri voters approve sports betting [3] St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Missouri voters approve sports betting [4] PlayMissouri - Missouri Gaming Commission begins accepting sports betting license applications [5] St. Louis Business Journal - Sports betting apps DraftKings, FanDuel, and Circa Sports apply for Missouri licenses
- Online gambling companies like DraftKings and FanDuel, along with Circa Sports, are eagerly awaiting the launch of sports betting in Missouri, as they have invested significantly in the campaign to legalize it.
- Amendment 2, which legalized sports betting in Missouri, also allows for two types of mobile sports betting licenses: untethered licenses, which do not require partnering with a Missouri casino or professional team, and partnership licenses, which do require such associations.
- The extension of sports betting beyond traditional brick-and-mortar casinos, into the realm of online gambling, has sparked a heated debate in Missouri politics, with supporters and opponents raising millions of dollars for their respective campaigns.
